Understanding Frenectomy: What, Who, Why, and Who Performs It (2024)

FAQs

Who should perform a frenectomy? ›

Qualified practitioners include: Dentists: General dentists, pediatric dentists, and orthodontists may perform frenectomies, particularly those involving the labial frenulum. Periodontists: A periodontist like Dr. Scharf, is specifically trained in all areas of periodontal (gum) and oral tissues.

A frenectomy is an oral surgery procedure that treats a lip-tie or tongue-tie. It may be used to increase your tongue's range of motion or help close a gap between two teeth. Frenectomy is a simple treatment that offers a wide range of benefits.

If surgery is needed, the ENT, dentist, or oral surgeon can do a: frenotomy (freh-NOT-uh-mee) or frenulectomy (fren-yuh-LEK-tuh-mee): The doctor makes a small cut in the frenulum with a scalpel, laser, or scissors.

After a frenectomy, those with tongue tie can find that they have trouble controlling their speech. Even if the frenectomy doesn't cause uncontrolled speech, you may lose some of the speech habits developed over time.

A frenectomy can be done with scissors, a scalpel or a laser. We use a carbon dioxide (CO2) laser (pictured below) in our office.

There aren't any age limitations when it comes to frenectomies. If the tongue-tie or lip-tie is causing significant breastfeeding difficulties for a newborn or infant, a frenectomy may be performed within the first few weeks or months of life.

Avoid extremely hot foods for the rest of the day and do NOT rinse out your mouth, as these will often prolong the bleeding. If bleeding continues, apply light pressure to the area with a moistened gauze or moistened tea bag. Keep in place for 20-30 minutes without looking to see if bleeding has stopped.

The amount of tissue being removed, age of the patient, geographic market of the doctor performing the procedure, and method used in surgery can also impact overall cost. Laser surgery is typically more expensive as it requires a greater level of training and expertise than the traditional scalpel method.

If you or your child are tongue-tied, a frenectomy can profoundly improve your quality of life. Untreated tongue-tie often leads to a variety of health complications, ranging from mild to very serious. Babies struggle to nurse and get adequate nutrition. Children face speech impediments and development issues.

A frenuloplasty procedure is different in that it lengthens the frenulum instead of removing it. The result is similar in that both procedures will relieve the discomfort caused by a short frenulum.

Does ENT perform frenectomy? ›

When problems with breastfeeding or speech persist, your doctor may perform a tongue tie release (frenotomy). It's important to have the procedure performed by a trained ENT who can do the procedure properly the first time.

Differences between a frenectomy and a frenulectomy tend to vary. A frenulectomy can refer to a basic nip into the frenulum. While frenectomies do the same, they can also go further. Sometimes the frenum may be completely removed during this procedure.

The procedure was performed by dentists (n = 6), lactation consultants (n = 5), and otolaryngologists (n = 4). The bulk of the major complications after frenotomy included poor feeding (n = 7), hypovolemic shock (n = 4), apnea (n = 4), acute airway obstruction (n = 4), and Ludwig angina (n = 2).

There is no age limit, whether young or old, to undergo a frenectomy.

There is very little discomfort with the laser. There is almost no bleeding from the laser procedure. Lasers sterilize at touch and therefore have less risk of infection. The healing is very quick; a laser stimulates bio-regeneration and healing.

A frenectomy is a dental procedure used to remove or modify the frenulum, a small fold of tissue that prevents the lips or tongue from moving too far. This procedure can be performed either on the lip (labial frenulum) or under the tongue (lingual frenulum).

A frenotomy is best done by a CPCMG pediatrician or an ear, nose and throat doctor. Please talk with your CPCMG pediatrician if you're having problems breastfeeding.

A labial frenectomy is necessary if the tissue grows too far down into the gums. When that happens, it can disrupt tooth growth, which causes a gap between the two front teeth.

Coverage depends on the patient's insurance plan, including the plan's guidelines and limitations for the procedure. An insurance plan will usually not consider a claim for reimbursem*nt if your baby is not active on the plan on the date of service.